Blues played good, solid, fundamental game against Flyers; skilled guys simply not scoring, not good enough
It can be agreed on that it shouldn't have happened, not with 3:01 remaining in the game of a 1-1 hockey game.
But let's look at the big picture of the Blues' third straight loss: they've scored just four goals -- FOUR.
And none of them by the big-name, highest-paid forwards on this team.
They've been scored by Colton Parayko, Jake Neighbours and Dylan Holloway. One, a defenseman who is paid well ($6.5 million average annual value), a forward on an entry-level contract and another forward making $2.29 million AAV who moves in and out of the top six. The lone goal scored Thursday came from a guy [Nathan Walker] who was a healthy scratch the past three games (five times this season) and played 11:28.
Walker's not playing 17, 18, 19, 20 minutes a night, he's not getting the power play minutes, the minutes late with the game on the line.
The Blues generated plenty of shots on Thursday. They directed 65 of them (65-51) against Samuel Ersson, but 28 attempts were blocked and 17 missed the net. Seventeen is too many.
It's one thing to generate, and the Blues dip their toes in when they do and when they don't generate, and lately, it's been Neighbours and Holloway (four goals each, which leads the team) doing the scoring. Neighbours and Holloway each have four in the past six games.
Kyrou, who along with Robert Thomas, is making $9 million this season ($8.125 million AAV), generated some decent scoring chances on Thursday; he hit the post and cross bar in the second period. But the bottom line: he's scored in just one game, and that was the season-opener. Two goals in 11 games is not good enough. After getting off to a torrid start (two goals, four assists) in three games, Kyrou has three assists the past eight games.
Pavel Buchnevich, who signed a six-year, $48 million ($8 million AAV) extension that begins next season, is still making is still making $6.3 million ($5.8 million AAV) this season. He hasn't scored in eight games and quite frankly, isn't generating anything either; he has two assists (both the same game) the past eight. It's just not good enough, and we highlighted in THN's 10-game assessment that playing center just doesn't seem to be working, but the Blues seem to be doing it more out of necessity than anything because of their lack of centers.
Brayden Schenn, who does a lot of the intangibles well: winning face-offs, checking, playing physical, fighting when necessary, is also paid well ($8 million in salary, $6.5 million AAV) but has just four points (three assists) and one goal; he hasn't scored in nine games while playing primarily in the top six, although he skated third-line wing Thursday. Just not enough offense.
Brandon Saad has scored just twice and both came in one game, so he's scored in one of eight games, but he does have four points. But the goals aren't coming from a player who usually gets into the 20s. He's making $4.375 million in salary ($4.5 million) and needs to pick it up.
So Thomas aside, who is out with a fractured right ankle, that's the Blues' four top-paid players making just under a combined $24.5 AAV with eight goals in 11 games, or less than what Nico Hischier (10), Cole Caufield (10), Nikita Kucherov (9) and Kyle Connor (9) have scored each themselves.
The Blues begin a five-game homestand on Saturday in the homecoming of Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's good that their young skaters are contributing, but if this team is going to have any success this year, this crop has to get it going, or they can put in the effort level like they did Thursday and find similar results.
